Sacha Baron Cohen says Marvel Studios was concerned that casting a Jewish actor as Mephisto, a devil-like character in the Disney+ series Ironheart, could be perceived as antisemitic. The creative team wanted to ensure Cohen would not be offended by the offer to play Mephisto in Ironheart.
During a live Happy Sad Confused conversation at New York’s 92nd Street Y (via Variety), Baron Cohen said the show’s predominantly Black producing and directing team approached the casting with sensitivity because of the historical negative association between Jewish people and the devil.
Baron Cohen said, “It was a wonderful meeting when I was offered it. It was primarily, I think, an almost entirely Black producing and directing team. And they said, ‘We want to offer you Mephisto, but we are aware of the negative association of Jews historically with the devil, and we want to make sure that you’re not insulted by us offering this.’ It was such an amazingly considerate, empathetic thing to say. And I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m good.’”
In Marvel comics, Mephisto is a devil-like character who tricks superheroes into making deals, often asking for their souls in return. In the Ironheart finale, Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) makes a deal with Mephisto (Sacha Baron Cohen) to bring her deceased best friend back to life.
Baron Cohen continued, “I think for the Jews out there, sometimes we don’t feel seen. We don’t feel like people can empathize with us, that we are suffering too. And so, to have this entirely Black producing and directing team be so empathetic was a moment of being seen. It was an amazing experience.”
Following his appearance in Ironheart, Mephisto’s future in the MCU remains unclear. However, several insiders and scoopers have claimed that he will appear in Phase 7 of the MCU. Ironheart is now streaming on Disney+.
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